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Blackadder's Landkreuzer P500; Die Wühlmaus

Blackadder

By Blackadder
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SW1 Venerable Brother

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That looks pretty frustrating to do. I'm still amazed at your ability to look at something and then craft it.

 

How much forward planning goes into this type of things or is it inspiration while the materials are at hand?

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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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Pretty much the latter, as I have stated numerous time before I enter these projects with virtually nothing more than an interest in producing something unique that caught my fancy. All my work is off the cuff and as of last week I hadn't an inkling as to how I would proceed.

 

witness my latest update on my Reaver thread reproduced here for your benefit:

 

Lucius Reaver revisited
 
Well off and on for the past month I have been wracking my brain trying to think of how to exhaust the rocket pods on the wing carapaces.
 
With the news of my nephew's impending operation I cast all aside in a fervent effort to be with my family in Florida single minded in the motor trip south.
 
On the drive down and back Epiphanies abound;
 
All that I was searching for on the LandKreuzer, The Reaver and the T'hawk gelled and I knew the direction to take.
 
I started with the Landkreuzer because that was the hardest; those road wheels had perplexed me for literally years.
 
The Reaver solution was so embarrassingly obvious that I hesitate to present it in completed form so in the next few days I shall be doing a step by step of my solution.
 
In the end you may well be wondering how could the Blackadder have missed something so obvious! 
 
It may seem callous to some that I was thinking of anything other than the 13 months old's pending operation but when driving long hours many things cross your mind. Who knows that he when he's a bit older may read these very words and realize the part he played in this progression.
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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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So Dono is here too.

 

Finished:
 
The Wheel Suspension is finished. It's too early in the day for a celebratory martini but perhaps I'll have two this evening.
 
These wheels have been a thorn iin my side for jeez over six years and now they are finally done in what? A COUPLA WEEKS!
 
Procrastination thy name is Blackadder.
 
So here are the twenty road wheels and drivers held on place on the tack base with a rubber band of course they have to be spaced properly and mount brackets for the drive and idler wheels but G** D*** they're done!
 
http://i.imgur.com/4Ze7kpJl.jpg
 
The image below compares the FW Baneblade with what could be considered a true scale Baneblade chassis/hull.....
 
http://i.imgur.com/rh3jlqe.jpg
 
A profile setup shows the wheels not too big and not too small. Once spaced out properly they'll adequately do the job.
 
http://i.imgur.com/JYklLWfl.jpg
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  • 3 weeks later...
Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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Road Wheel Covers:

 

You would think that scribing the road wheel covers would be a simple matter but proportion, spacing and plotting required a LOT of work to get them right and whether they are right is subjective.

 

Anyway after numerous attempts i finally have obtained reasonable results shown here.

 


http://i.imgur.com/twLEzBjl.jpg

 

Now all that needs be done is scoring the covers to simulate the panel seams.

 


http://i.imgur.com/HhL5fz6l.jpg

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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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Hmmmm.......ahem!

 

How To Drill the  Holes:
 
Well how I do it anyway.
 
http://i.imgur.com/Qv408val.jpg
 
First you have to measure where the holes will go and that is self-explanatory and needs no expounding on but here is where your eye is better than pains taking measurements. If it looks right it's close enough we're not going to quibble about fractions of a millimeter.
 
Tools you will need:
http://i.imgur.com/85wWSdul.jpg
 
Next take your #11 sharp tip Xacto blade and auger a tiny hole in the plastic where you will be drilling the pilot hole; this will keep the drill bit from wandering once you start drilling.
 
Now you're gonna need a lot of holes and they have to line up reasonably well so check the augered hole in relation to the panel edge and the seam edge so if it's the tiniest bit off you can adjust it by tipping the drill bit to force the hole in the direction you want the correction. 
 
http://i.imgur.com/KWtp0BWl.jpg
 
Now take your Pin Vise and hand drill all the pilot holes making sure they are reasonable straight and of a uniform depth. I don't recommend power drills for this as the material is too soft and will melt at high speed drilling.
 
 
 
Once you have all the pilot holes drilled hand drill all the proper width holes
 
http://i.imgur.com/YP45Ud4l.jpg
 
I have two Pin Vises to make the work easier.
 
 
http://i.imgur.com/Qv408val.jpg
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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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The Beat Goes On:

 

Once the holes were drilled I filled the inner deeper hole with sixteenth inch styrene dowel

 


http://i.imgur.com/9LBAcY1l.jpg

 

and allowed to dry.

 

I then cut off the excess and after allowing to dry overnight I sanded the bogus bolts flush.

 


http://i.imgur.com/X1KmMdTl.jpg

 

I then proceeded to attach bits of rod to the upper edge of the cutout panels to simulate hinges.

 


http://i.imgur.com/cHN8yjGl.jpg

 

Finally when all the hinges were installed I went back and glued on umpty-ump rivets; it just looked too naked with out the rivet detail.

 


http://i.imgur.com/sRFzOdNl.jpg

 

and a close up of the panel detail........

 


http://i.imgur.com/Ewn4rDql.jpg

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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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Thanks,

 

Finally The Wheels Assembled:
 
Five plus years in the making I finally have the wheels in the approximate position that they will ultimately be. They are just tacked on at the moment as I need to establish the tread run and adjust the individual wheel height to meet the inner contact of the tracks
 
 
http://i.imgur.com/eyz59mIl.jpg
 
 
A slight adjustment of the front fenders was required as the nose wheel stuck out too far plus I need space for the eclipsing front outboard hinged cover........
 
http://i.imgur.com/vDulpiQl.jpg
 
 
Once I get the right side satisfactory I'll duplicate the final adjustments on the left side.
 
http://i.imgur.com/tauaUrxl.jpg
 
This final low angle shot shows just about the right amount of road wheel exposure as in the original Baneblade.
 
 
http://i.imgur.com/oRKMDW8l.jpg
 
The spacing of the front three wheels still need adjustment.
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Athrawes Venerable Brother

Athrawes

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As someone who loved the mars/lucius pattern Baneblade, this is a fabulous project.

It was easily one of the most beautiful kits that Forgeworld ever produced (it had freaking weld seams sculpted on it!!!!). The new Plastic kit is fine, but a lot was lost from the original beauty that you are faithfully recreating/improving here.

Kudos to you for a project that looks great, and is giving me all sorts of feels. I'll take three please biggrin.png

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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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Thanks for taking the time for an in depth reply and I am in complete agreement; the FW Baneblade (particularly the Lucius pattern) was a jewel in the crown of resin casting. The plastic model cannot measure up artistically other than being the same approximate size and shape. It just lacks panache.

 

I am tempted at some future date to kitbash a GW Baneblade into a FW replica now that I know I can replicate the FW fantastically artistic treads.

 

A far, far later date to be sure.

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Rhymes With Orange:

 

There is something incomparable about the FW Baneblade tread assembly. It make's one regret that as a military vehicle it is totally impractical.

 

I have attempted to duplicate on a somewhat larger scale the detail of this artistic work

 

 


http://i.imgur.com/g1IRIXBl.jpg

 

By larger scale it means I'm trying to correct my errors in perception back when I was a mere novice at scratchbuilding and failed to take advantage of scaling hints.

 

One would think it simple to arrange and glue on the wheels to the base block but there are a lot of subtle variables that needs be addressed for the tracks to run properly and in subsequent posts I will address those issues but for the time being I will just display the project as it stand.

 


http://i.imgur.com/FSzkQMcl.jpg

 

I've included a production FW Baneblade tread for scale and comparison.

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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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My Way:

 

Before anyone informs me that these could have been cast I am aware of the concept.

 

I prefer to do it my way.

 

This morning I am putting the final touches on the 52 tread segments; yes all hand made and yes I am certifiable.

 


http://i.imgur.com/av43g6bl.jpg

 

To facilitate the inner angles of the tread plate I made a simple jig so all the final angles will be pretty much the same degree and the treads also will prove out the same dimensions within a fraction of a millimeter.

 

Below we see a close up of a finished tread and one to be beveled in the jig.

 


http://i.imgur.com/95WrffNl.jpg

 

and a top view of the same............

 


http://i.imgur.com/zKhLUI1l.jpg

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SW1 Venerable Brother

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My Way:

 

Before anyone informs me that these could have been cast I am aware of the concept.

 

I prefer to do it my way.

 

This morning I am putting the final touches on the 52 tread segments; yes all hand made and yes I am certifiable.

 

Nah ... The 'handmade' just makes it all the more impressive. ;)

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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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Wow! I'm blushing........

 

Revelation:
 
It's only when you try to replicate one of these resin masterpieces that you get a full appreciation of the exacting work that goes into the prototype production of the piece.
 
The track segments have to be just the right size to circle the wheel or the treads will look clumsy.
 
I'm hoping I have left enough excess link overlap to make the run workable; I can probably take off about 2,0 MM more per link if needs be but I'd prefer not to, we'll see once the rest of the links are installed.
 
http://i.imgur.com/pLr6rwHl.jpg
 
I picked a skull tread at random and it's not one of the better ones; I may replace it or at least swap out the skulls.
 
http://i.imgur.com/kYL8MYul.jpg
 
The comparison shot with an original Baneblade is optically deceiving. both treads appear much the same size........ Ha! 
 
Here we see the side view of the tread and the object of my concern regarding the width of the link in relation to the idler wheel. 
 
http://i.imgur.com/hRmcU6kl.jpg
 
i'll know later on this evening whether it's a go or not..............
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OMG!

 

I can't believe it worked! It's one thing to plan out how something will look in your mind but to actually see it reach fruition kinda takes you by surprise.

 

 


http://i.imgur.com/FqTZL1tl.jpg

 

The rest is just repetition making the other three run segments

 


http://i.imgur.com/0DvyU4el.jpg

 

 

The problem now is that big gap between the front and rear tread assemblies

 


http://i.imgur.com/RtqCO4Gl.jpg

 

Do I dare compromise and fake the bottom run

 


http://i.imgur.com/ZuHal03l.jpg

 

Or bit the bullet and make a proper set of track segments

 


http://i.imgur.com/hOx0YVUl.jpg

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Money In the Bank:

 

Okay so who bet that the Blackadder was too anal retentive to compromise the un seen thread links?

 

Too bad, it was like money in the bank...........

 

Seems like most of the work was on the visible portions of the links anyway not the track face so what was I saving by fudging the bottom run?

 


http://i.imgur.com/GbPCniMl.jpg

 

I figured out a way that I can have the unseen detail and at not much more expenditure of time and labor while still having a relatively consistent quality the individual links have.

 


http://i.imgur.com/ijXGQ9Tl.jpg

 

So there will be two 13 link pieces running under the center five road wheels.  Six skulls need to be cast but that's no biggy

 

And my personal integrity has been restored..... read OCD.

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Blackadder Veteran

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A Lesson In Tenacity:

 

We are limited boys and girls only by a lack of persistence. 24 hours ago I was in a quandary as to whether I had the wherewithal to attempt fabricating the hidden detail.  

 


http://i.imgur.com/z2RwOIcl.jpg

 

and now it's more than half accomplished. 

 


http://i.imgur.com/yr3Qtpul.jpg

 

How much better this would this not have turn out because of laxity on my part?

 


http://i.imgur.com/yhTugfhl.jpg

 

Now all needs to be done is the inner track plates..........

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Blackadder Veteran

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Much Better:

 

A bit of elbow grease and the result is much better in a relative way. I wouldn't have been satisfied with the compromise........

 


http://i.imgur.com/diWapDel.jpg

 

The interlude has also given me time to think about how to align the wheels better so I have remounted about 50% of the misaligned and only a few more to go before mounting the underrun of track.

 


http://i.imgur.com/TZm3iLvl.jpg

 

In this last image you can see the second from last road wheel is misaligned.

 


http://i.imgur.com/wZy8QyDl.jpg

 

That is being corrected as I type.

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Argun Venerable Brother

Argun

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Loving your Landkreuzer-class Baneblade (That's what I'm thinking of referring to it anyway)  Have you put any thought as to how you'll do the rear of the machine? What I mean by that is: how do you plan on doing the rear exhaust/fuel tanks? Like the original, with small exhaust pipes and barrels of fuel, or something like this http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/gallery/image/110002-superheavy-3/ (from Blood & Skulls Industries)?

Would you also be adding in the shrine that most baneblade-chassis superheavies have back there, or putting in more pipes/engine parts?

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Blackadder Veteran

Blackadder

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Thanks for the reply........

 

I have to admit the images above you linked to show a much better version of GW Superheavy than is usually presented, is that a kit or kitbash?

 

I like the twin dual exhausts but the shrine not so much; I probably will go with the standard FW Lucius Baneblade rear panel and when I first saw a FW Baneblade years ago I didn't care for the huge aux fuel barrels but  the necessity for them makes them practical.

 

Since the WW2 German Maus which weighed half what a standard Baneblade would and only got 185 ft / 56,5 meters per US gallon a couple of 600 gallon fuel drums might come in handy.

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Panzer_VIII_Maus

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